1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for setting up a channel for a multimedia broadcast/multicast service in a mobile communication system, and in particular, to an apparatus and method for setting up a channel in response to a multimedia broadcast/multicast service request.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, due to the development of the communication industry, a service provided by a code division multiple access (hereinafter referred to as “CDMA”) mobile communication system is being developed into multicasting multimedia communication that transmits voice service data and high-capacity data such as packet data and circuit data. In order to support the multicasting multimedia communication, a broadcast/multicast service is required in which one data source provides a service to a plurality of user equipments (hereinafter referred to as “UE”). The broadcast/multicast service can be divided into a cell broadcast service (hereinafter referred to as “CBS”), being a message-based service, and a multimedia broadcast/multicast service (hereinafter referred to as “MBMS”) that supports multimedia data, such as real-time image and voice, still image, and text.
The CBS is a service for broadcasting a plurality of messages to all UEs located in a particular service area. The particular service area where the CBS is provided can be the entire area where the CBS is provided in one cell. The MBMS is a service for simultaneously providing voice data and image data, and requires many transmission resources. The MBMS is serviced over a broadcast channel, since a plurality of services can be provided at the same time within one cell.
As stated above, in the conventional mobile communication system, when the same MBMS request is received from a plurality of UEs controlled by the, same cell or radio network controller (hereinafter referred to as “RNC”), channels, or MBMS data transmission paths, in the system must be separately assigned in response to each request from the UEs.
Therefore, the conventional mobile communication system requires a signaling procedure for providing the same MBMS service to the plurality of UEs. However, if a plurality of channels (or MBMS data transmission paths) are assigned to provide the same MBMS service to different UEs, resources may be wasted unnecessarily and the signaling procedure may be complicated.